Sickle Sanctuary | Championing wellbeing for people living with sickle cell

Sickle Sanctuary is a specialist health and well-being initiative for people living with sickle cell disease, their families, and young carers. It provides trauma-informed, culturally intelligent support combining crisis advocacy, education, mental health support, spiritual development, coaching and practical help, which can all be accessed digitally. Sharayah Simpson, founder of Sickle Sanctuary, received support through the Thrive programme.

Challenge/ opportunity

Having experienced first-hand the challenges of living with sickle cell disease, Sharayah recognised the lack of awareness, support and dedicated spaces for people living with sickle cell disease. Sickle Sanctuary was established to ensure that individuals and families affected by the condition feel seen, heard and understood. The vision has always been to create a supportive community while raising awareness, advocating for better understanding and helping to improve outcomes for those living with sickle cell through education, peer support and community engagement.

Incubator Support 

Sharayah joined the Thrive programme to access the support, knowledge and guidance needed to turn a long-held vision into a sustainable organisation.

While she brought extensive lived experience, strong community insight and a clear understanding of the challenges faced by people living with sickle cell disorder, she wanted to build the skills, structure and confidence needed to translate that vision into a credible and fundable organisation.

Through Thrive’s workshops, masterclasses and one-to-one support, Sharayah was able to strengthen her business foundations, clearly articulate the gap that Sickle Sanctuary addresses and develop a comprehensive business plan. The programme also helped her recognise Sickle Sanctuary as a viable and scalable social enterprise with a strong evidence base and fundable model. A key milestone was officially incorporating the organisation in February 2026, providing a solid platform for future growth and impact.

Outcome & Impact

Sharaya’s ambition is to establish Sickle Sanctuary as a nationally recognised specialist service supporting people living with sickle cell disorder and other underserved communities. This ambition has taken a significant step forward through her participation in the Thrive programme, which has strengthened the organisation’s foundations and helped shape an upcoming pilot in partnership with Kirklees schools and colleges. Through the delivery of the R.I.S.E and RE:SET programmes, the pilot will provide vital evidence of impact, support the development of strategic partnerships and create opportunities for future investment and growth.

Sharaya’s long-term goal is to build a sustainable model combining commissioned services, partnerships and funding streams, while expanding support to communities affected by sickle cell across the UK and beyond, beginning with the strong foundations already established in Kirklees through her other organisation, Temple Well-Being CIC.

“I joined Thrive because I had a vision I believed in deeply for many years, but I didn’t know where to start and wanted to make sure I was building it on solid foundations.

“Thrive felt like the right environment to do that: practical, supportive, and rooted in the kind of innovation that Kirklees genuinely needs.”

Sharayah Simpson, founder of Sickle Sanctuary